The Lake of Expectations

I dreamed a dream.

It was a well lit evening with the wash of color across the evening sky, just the remnants of the evening sunset and there we were, the family I knew as a child running around playing and the sounds of laughter and people talking in the distance . And Clint as he was before the accident crippled him for life and I fishing in the Lake of Expectations that mirrored the wash of color from the skys. Occasionally we would glimpse movement below the surface. Our lines danced out onto the surface of the water and back again in rhythmic movements time and again fishing on the surface with us just enjoying the moment.

Suddenly Gary, the child as he was before his accident was beside me saying,
"We are leaving now. I need my turkey you stored for me in your freezer."

And there was the car loaded with all of the family members smiling, laughing and waving goodbye, ready for the journey.....I handed Gary the package I had stored in the heart of my freezer for him and cried and said it was too soon to go, please stay a little longer. But they couldn't and all smiles and waves left me filled with happiness and sadness all merged into one,
standing there next to the edge of the Lake of Expectations watching them drive away.

Life is short.
Our lives are all rolled up, intertwined with each others, the past, the present, the living and the dead, the healthy and the lame.....
Suddenly the time has passed and we are looking back on days gone by.
Days roll into years and years into decades.
The fairness of this life is that equally none of us have any guarantees, any assurances of more....all we have is the moment we are in. Like the cup we choose for our morning coffee. We pick up a cup thinking it is a perfect cup for the occasion and we begin to fill and then we see that it has some flaws, a little crack in the lip, a little chip out of the inside of the handle that rubs my finger just so it causes a little irritation but not enough to stop me from drinking. I add whatever I choose, sometimes, it tastes a little bitter and sometimes, it is sweet but it still gives me a little buzz when I drink it.

So at the start of this new year consider the moment.
Make it count.

Love others,
Smile at strangers,
Give assistant to someone who needs it as you see it.
Make time to see those you love,
Say the words "I love you".
Be a reflection of Christ,
Choose to be the person you know lives in your heart.

Happy New Year!

Welcoming the New Year

I love Christmas!
Santa found his way to our house again! Maybe it was the reindeer food scattered outside or the sound of kids laughter inside but by morning our tree had more presents underneath its branches to cover every bit of that new hard wood floor we had put down before the kids came to visit.

After a few hours in the kitchen, and a few cinnamon rolls for breakfast, turkey and dressing and the works for dinner, twice baked potatoes covered in melted cheese and pies and cakes coming out our ears to snack the day away no one went away hunger and in fact, most were finally repulsed by the smell of food cooking.
We were miserably happy!

I highly recommend...

• smiling and laughing....
• hugging the babies....
• swinging outside....
• hiking the countryside
  
• singing silly Christmas songs...
• playing games together that span the ages from young to old...
• sharing covers....
  
• being among those you love the most!

Here's to the new year!
We are so blessed! I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for us in the coming year.
Love to all....

Here Comes Santa Claus

I received an email from my dad the other day sending me a cake in a cup recipe. I quickly opened it and scanned it without much thought and sent back an email saying, "okay, we will have a chocolate cake in a cup when I come for coffee this evening." Then I quickly forgot it in the midst of all my busy work at school. I forgot about it that evening at coffee but I did remember it the next evening. When I mentioned making the cake in a cup he was happy to see I remembered it.

It was not the greatest cake I ever ate but it was good and it was chocolate and it was done in three minutes flat and gone in the next few minutes. It was fun. It filled the cup so much that it was a pretty big piece of cake for me so we divided it between us and shared it.

The following is the recipe:

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes.

I made it again today because I am alone for the afternoon and chocolate is a favorite. Indeed I had chocolate cake in three minutes and that is how long it took me to clean up my mess after I dropped the cocoa can, dribbled milk on the counter and spilled little bits of sugar and flour. But how fun was that. It was almost like I am sneaking cake for myself because once I clean it up no one will be the wiser. Except when the scales start squealing.

So now this got me to thinking. With Christmas coming I think the grandchildren would love to make their own cakes but knowing the mess I made with it I had to find something easier for them. Here is what I have found.
Everywhere I looked online they used them as teacher gifts. Great idea! One person put the mug together and then added truffles and coffee in a basket she shrink wrapped. (To give credit where credit is due I found this on www.reallifeblog.net)

Cake in a Cup (makes 8)

18 ¼ oz. Chocolate Cake Mix (box, any brand)
3.9 oz. pkg. Instant chocolate pudding mix
3 c. powdered sugar, divided
4 ½ T. hot cocoa mix, divided
2 ¼ t. vanilla powder, divided (This is the only expensive ingredient, and can be left out if needed.)

Place dry cake mix and pudding mix in a large mixing bowl; mix together. Divide and place a ½ cup mix in 8 plastic sandwich bags; secure with twist ties and label as cake mix. Tuck one bag in a large mug that will hold at least 1 ½ cups of water. Because the cake is microwaved, be sure the cup doesn’t have any metal decorations on it. Place 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons hot cocoa mix and ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder in 8 plastic sandwich bags; secure with twist ties and label as glaze mix. Makes 8 individual mixes for coffee mugs.

Gift Tag (Tie onto the handle with raffia or ribbon)

Generously spray inside of coffee mug with nonstick vegetable spray. Empty contents of cake mix bag into mug and add one egg white, 1 Tablespoon oil and 1 Tablespoon water. Mix until well blended. Microwave on high for two minutes. While cake is baking place glaze mix in small mixing bowl and add 1 ½ teaspoons water, mix well. When cake is done, pour glaze over cake in cup and enjoy while warm

Fun idea!!!

Anyone else have any fun ideas for Christmas gifts or just fun things to do?

The Geese Have Returned

The Geese have returned.
Sounds like a code between spies passing in the streets in a James Bond movie or something.
To me it is the announcement of the seasons turning to winter in my part of the world.

The sound of a gaggle of geese can be heard for a quite a little distance. In the distance black dots appear to be covering the field that had been a green expanse of peanut plants during the summer but now is just the bare ground with just a hint of the dried peanut hay that had escaped the claws of the baler. The geese gather in the open fields, thousands of noisy birds, returning year after year to the same location. They found our little community some years ago and began to grace us with the annual visit. I love to stand outside and hear them or find them in the field behind my own house. It is one of those sites and sounds that makes me appreciate living in the country, one of those things that make me think that one day I will look back on this time and miss them when the world around us has changed into whatever the future holds for us. Like Christmas carolers singing along the river walk, this is a nostalgic moment....remember it. These are Rockwell moments in our time like watching the dance recitals of my granddaughters and Kristen is inspecting the rafters over the stage while the other girls are going through their dance routine or Joel's expression at the Christmas program at church while they are lined up in a chorus of happy children singing angelically when he realizes that Eric has grabbed the microphone behind them and is singing into it with all of his heart.

Rockwell didn't just live in a perfect time in a perfect life therefore painting such fun times. No, actually living through a time of wars in the 20th century, once divorced, twice married,his art studio burned to the ground during his career, and given to moods he choose to paint a time that made us stop and cherish the moments in our lives. He wanted us to glean the good from the bad.

Slow down this season and enjoy the moment.
These times pass quickly and soon are forgotten unless we tag them in our memories.

Book Reviews

Dana sent me an invitation to join an online book club yesterday morning and I accepted. Now between my teaching, this blog, my facebook account, painting, cleaning, remodeling and of course being a wife, mother and grandmother I have one more thing to occupy my time. I did NOT list those in the order of importance.
If any of you are interested let me know. Dana and I will send you the link. It is called goodreads. I immediately began to find people I knew other than Dana.
If you like to read and want to know what others are reading this is a fun way to get the information.

Let me recommend a book now.
How Full is Your Bucket?
I wish I had read this when I was younger. This is a book about helping yourself be a happier person but while you are getting happier you are afffecting all those around you and helping them be happier. It is really simple. It is contagious.

While Lisa was here I gave her a copy of the book and it became the subject of most of our conversations. She would read a little and then come in and tell me all about it. It is based on those Gallop polls taken in the malls back in the 70's but the research was never used or published. The authors are a team, grandfather and grandson. The grandfather while dying of cancer talked his grandson into writing the book about his research. What a wonderful legacy to leave for the grandson and we all can benefit.

Fast read, interesting research and statistics. I rate it a must read by all.

Warm Fuzzies

Some things just give you a warm fuzzy and today it was during one of my classes.
(Names have been changed to protect the innocent.)

Being a secondary art teacher generally I have mainstream students with varying degrees of ability. Seldom do I have the life skills students but over the years I have had two or three of the students for a short duration of time until they feel uncomfortable.

John, a life skills student at the high school has been placed in my art class because his father insisted that his son be placed in an art class. My class was selected as the one he would go into. I had reason to have major concern over the child being in the classroom. I was concerned that the boy would be traumatized by cruel students. I was concerned that he would feel incapable of keeping up and he really is incapable of working at a high school level. Plus other various concerns....big class, time, energy, fear of the unknown...you know, just concerns.

The first day John came with an aide. She helped me set him up with colored pencils and papers and he began to color happily. John stands at least a foot shorter than me and is about as round as he is tall. When he smiles every crooked tooth in his head is visible. He seldom speaks but answers with his eyes and his head bobs up and down vigorously in agreement to show his approval. I could not help but fall in love with him. The other students made no visible sign of even noticing John's presence in the room at first.

The next day John came alone and sat down in his chair. I began to work with students demanding my time when I realized he was sitting there without any attention from me. I sent over a pretty girl and told her to go give him a little attention and see if she could set him in motion. Eventually I would get over to him and talk to him and give him my personal attention. He was a happy boy.

The following days came and much the same procedure would take place. I seated the boy next to Claudia. Claudia is my clapping girl. She will spontaneously burst into applause if I hold up a picture anyone is drawing and soon we would all be clapping and holding up our drawings to get approval from the class. Claudia also, was very sweet to John. John was very happy sitting near Claudia and she was as good with him as if he were her own child. In exchange for the wonderful attention she gave John I would give her extra attention like extra pats on her back, looks of loving approval across the room, affirming her actions verbally as often as I would see her. I watched out for my duo from wherever I would be in the room. All of this attention did not go unnoticed by the rest of the class. No one ever said anything about John's presence. If they disapproved they were kind enough to keep it to themselves. No one was mean or cruel.

Today Claudia was outside taking photos and could not take care of John. No sooner had Claudia left the room but Jason, a tall slender boy somewhat new to the class having only been in the class for two or three weeks jumped into action. Jason pulled John's chair into position, pulling it up close to Claudia's seat and then Jason sat down in her seat next to John. Then Jason began to assist John, helping him to get his drawing going in the direction he figured I would want him to go. When I looked up and noticed what was happening I made eye contact with John who was smiling from ear to ear. He was a happy boy.

And I was a happy teacher seeing the softening of a class full of students by the mere presence of a disabled child. John has brought out the kind hearts in my students. How blessed we are to have him in our classroom.

Jason tucked his little chick under his wing and began to cluck over him. I think that he had been just waiting for his chance to help.

Pep Rally Star

Our last pep rally starred my nephew, Alex. YouTube has three videos to complete the performance. Here is the first one. Alex is the tall one on the far left in a horizontal stripe shirt(second from the left side, actually the shirt has a vertical stripe also but it blurs out). Everyone said it was the best pep rally the school has ever had. First year in high school and already a star! Congrats, Alex.




Here is the second video clip.



And the grand finale of the performance. The crowd loved it!

The Day's Video

I could not figure out in a short amount of time how to post this video. Click on the Title of the Post and go to YouTube to see this video on Fox News this morning. Make sure you watch the vet as he is walking away.
Gives me chills.


Thanks, Jaci. I have embedded videos before but I am at school and YouTube is blocked so I am not even sure if I can do it from here. I was trying to rush out the door to get to school at the early hour I have to get to school this morning when I was trying to post. (Did that SOUND like a complaint about the early hour that we are required to be at school?)

The Shack

I really did not go into hibernation as the school year begun.....no, instead I have just been too busy to have time to post anything. In fact, really the only thoughts that bounce through this brain of mine are things about school.

However, I am toward the end of another interesting book, The Shack by William (Willie) P. Young. Willie, the author, a son of a missionary now grown and with children, never really intended to be publishing this book but instead was writing it for his children to read. Thinking this approach was entertaining while imparting a knowledge of God's constant love of us, he wrote it, made copies he bound and gave to his children and a select few friends. Soon the copies were circulating and people were asking where they could get copies. A relatively short book comparatively to War and Peace, I guess, I thought I would read it in a couple of days but have not had the free time to read so am now at the end of the week still reading in little short snatches of time here and there while doing duty at school, during advisory at school, during a passing period...... I have found it interesting that the book has intrigued me and even after I put the book down I am thinking and questioning, anxious to get to it.

Mack, the main character experiences a life changing tragedy in his life that leaves him sad and feeling separated from God when he receives an invitation from someone he thinks could be God. I will stop here because I don't want to spoil it for you since Jackie said she is reading it and Jennifer wants to now.

So much to think about, the book has reinforced some things I already knew, illustrates ideas I had not thought of, puts God in a different perspective to me....

• relationships
• God's constant love....
• Man's emotional ups and downs
  
• God's constant love......
• the continual presence of the Holy Spirit with us
• God's constant love....
  

While I do not accept this book as gospel, obviously, this is a book that makes me think, has me talking to people who have noticed me with the book who would otherwise not listen to anything about God....an interesting piece of fiction with a message.
I would be interested in knowing the thoughts of others who have read the book.

If you are interested in knowing more about the book, the author, etc go to his website at www.theshackbook.com

The Best Pay

I sit here this morning in the beginning of a new week and wonder where all my time is going this year. Here it already a week into October.

Thanks to my job I have been one busy woman this year and I am thinking they do not pay me enough! Every week I put in at least ten hours extra doing extracurricular activities for the school because I am a junior class sponsor and that is after hours.... work trips to SA, staying to work football games in the concession stand at both junior high as well as high school and whatever else they find for us to do....and as I stated this is only the beginning of October....I help organize prom this year.

I enjoy each class individually.
I enjoy the students individually.
I enjoy the socialization of my fellow co-workers.

But it just waste-es all that good time!

I am a morning person. If I want to get something done I need to get it done in the morning. As a young mother I used to have my house clean by 10:00 in the morning and then I was ready to sit down at my sewing machine to be creative and sew my childrens' clothes or work in the yard.
Oh, work in the yard......(oh, I remember getting to get out in the mornings!) I had a day ahead of me. And I probably slept in until 6:30 or 7:00 in those days.

Now it is up at 5:15, take a shower, fix my face and hair, go downstairs and fix breakfast and off to school...oh, and had a couple of cups of coffee, removed the dishes from the dishwasher, sorted through dirty clothes, put in a couple of loads of clothes to wash, and found my school id. By 10:00 AM I have done my morning duty and am into my second class of the day almost into the third class, helped about forty of my students be creative and submitted all of the paperwork for the morning classes. Not bad for a morning but I still will see at least another 100 kids before the day is over, make at least 500 decisions, provide healthy choices for those disruptive students and guide them all down the road to creative thinking....before 3:45.

When I was a young mother I longed to have a paying job. I thought that would make me more of a valuable person. Now I long for the peace of staying at home with my family and touching those I love the most.

The pay is better.